This invention relates generally to automotive repair equipment, and in particular to an improved apparatus for use in repair of vehicle bodies. This invention relates more specially to vertical realignment repairs of vehicle bodies. This invention also relates to an inexpensive, portable improved apparatus for use in repairing upper body portions of automobile vehicle bodies.
For the proper repair of damaged vehicle bodies the correct measurements of the damaged portion of the vehicle must be accurately determined relative to the undamaged portion of the vehicle. Typically repairs are effected by bending major structural portions of the vehicle, e.g., the aprons, radiator support,. inner structure or undercarriage, into proper alignment with the undamaged portion of the vehicle. Generally the structure of the vehicle must be aligned properly both horizontally and vertically. Alternately, where the structural misalignment is relatively minimal, the structure itself may not need to be realigned. If sufficient adjustments in position can be made in attaching component parts, e.g., the hood, fenders, bumpers or quarter panels, onto the misaligned major structural components, the component parts can be secured in place in correct reference to the undamaged portions of the vehicle.
Very sophisticated and powerful machines are available directed primarily to repairing the undercarriages of vehicles. Typically these machines are supported on a strong surface and the vehicle is brought into position over the device. Repairs are effected by determining the position of portions of the undercarriage relative to the device, frequently using reference data in book form. While these machines perform well for undercarriage repairs, they are large in size, cumbersome, and very expensive. Such machines are designed primarily for portions of the vehicle body above the undercarriage and thus have diminished utility when used for upper body repairs. Notably, upper body repairs constitute the majority of all vehicle body repair work. Consequently, for body repair shops handling primarily upper body repair work, machines designed primarily for undercarriage repairs can be inefficient and prohibitively expensive.
Myriad mechanisms exist to assist in alignment of vehicle bodies, but most of them provide beneficial assistance only with horizontal alignment. Absent very sophisticated and costly equipment, the body shop may be left with no accurate method of vertically aligning the vehicle and must resort to visual estimation. Therefore, it is not unusual for the major structural elements of the vehicle body to be properly aligned horizontally, but left misaligned vertically. This creates problems with the proper fitting of component parts and is aesthetically unacceptable.
Body alignment machines in the prior art require anchoring the vehicle in place with respect to the alignment machine and are inefficient for upper body repairs. Others suffer from being overly complicated to use, or from being prohibitively expensive. The less expensive devices are best suited to horizontal alignment repairs, leaving vertical repairs unaddressed.